The Kansas City Chiefs are gearing up for a crucial Christmas clash against the Pittsburgh Steelers. But when the Chiefs take to the field, they’ll be doing so without arguably their best defensive player.
Defensive lineman Chris Jones is unlikely to play due to his calf injury, via Adam Schefter of ESPN. He picked up the injury against the Tennessee Titans in Week 16, making his return on a short week all the more unlikely.
While the Chiefs already have their playoff spot locked up, they’re still battling for the AFC’s No. 1 seed. The Steelers clinched their postseason berth as well, but they’re still in the running for the AFC North crown. It’s an important matchup for both sides, made scarier for Kansas City by Jones’ absence.
The DL has been a key part of the Chiefs’ defensive success in 2024, racking up 37 tackles, 20 quarterback hits and five sacks over 15 games. Furthermore, Jones has earned an 89.7 grade from Pro Football Focus, ranking second amongst 216 defensive lineman.
And for as good as he is been, some may consider this a down year for Jones. He is coming off of five-straight Pro Bowl season, in which he had no less than 7.5 sacks in a year. Jones has brought the quarterback down 80.5 times over his career. Even if his stats are a little low, the Chiefs will never complain having the defensive lineman in the lineup.
But that won’t be the case against Pittsburgh. Kansas City will need to find other ways to get to Russell Wilson. They enter the matchup with the third-best defense in the league, allowing 307.2 yards per game. Of course, losing Jones takes a massive chunk out of that defense. But Steve Spagnuolo’s unit should have pieces in place ready to step up.
At this stage, the Chiefs don’t have to prove their excellence to anyone. But taking down the Steelers without Chris Jones would certainly send a message ahead of the postseason.
